Fever Bites
by Brigid the Fae
Summary: A companion story to Mating Fever, so to really appreciate this you'd have to have read that first. Might contain spoilers otherwise. A collection of moments that came to mind after I finished writing Mating Fever. To see the art that inspired these, head to AO3.
1. The Dress

**A/N: This...whatever this is... takes place somewhere between chapters 8 and 9 in the story.**

* * *

"I can't believe they expect me to wear this…thing!" Kagome seethed, shaking the bunched material in her hand. Her friends had dropped off a package while she and Inuyasha had gone through the well, and in her upset after the discussion with Kikyo, she hadn't given the package much thought at first. Then Mama had pointed out that it was for a talent competition they girls were wanting to take part in, and in their words "if Kagome felt up to it" they wanted her to be there with them. It was supposed to be a song and dance routine, and all the girls had the same dress, but…

Kagome's didn't fit. Or rather, it didn't fit like it was _supposed_ to.

In the years of traveling to collect shards and dodge youkai attacks, Kagome's baby fat had slimmed away into muscle. Parts of her had developed as well, but the dress only made that fact more obvious. She had tried the dress on and regretted it instantly. It was too tight in the hips and would ride up with each step she took, when it was supposed to have sat against her skin smoothly. The sleeves were much the same problem as for tightness, but it was nothing compared to the neckline. The dress cut into a deep V that Mama surmised was meant to make more flat-chested women appear larger, only it made Kagome's bust look indecent.

At least the sleeves doubled as bat wings that she used to cover herself when Inuyasha walked into the kitchen with his human and youkai sides. It meant that she had to cross her arms higher than normal so the draping fabric would cover her skin long enough for her to escape to the bathroom to take it off.

"It's a lovely dress, Kagome," Mama tried to console her daughter. "The girls haven't seen you in a while, so I'm sure they just made assumptions based on the last time you all went shopping together."

Kagome tossed the dress on the table. They had left a note with the dress, talking about wanting to practice the routine over the holiday break. "I'm gonna go to my room," she frowned, rising from the table and going upstairs, leaving Mama and the three Inuyashas in the kitchen. A few minutes later, both the hanyou and the human followed her, one intending to console her, the other to ask what her problem was.

Mama frowned, reaching for the dress and smoothing it out. She had a feeling that the dress wouldn't fit as soon as Kagome took it out of the bag. The girls had her best intentions at heart, but it was apparent that they weren't as close as they used to be anymore. Kagome had mentioned it in passing a year before, and now she was being reminded of it. Youkai Inuyasha looked at her questioningly, having missed the significance of the dress. "Kagome's friends," she said, lifting the dress up, "they want Kagome to join them in a performance in a few months, but I don't think she's going to."

"Is it because of-"

"No, of course not dear. Kagome's just grown up faster than her friends have, and she doesn't have the same interests anymore. It's common as you get older to drift apart from school friends. She might feel guilty she can't connect with them like she used to, but I know for certain that she doesn't regret traveling with you. You've been a bright spot in her life I don't think she'd ever have if she hadn't fallen down the well."

Youkai Inuyasha had smelled how Kagome's scent had dipped into sadness when she emerged from the bathroom with the dress in hand. He didn't like it. She wasn't supposed to be upset, even if it was directed towards friendships weakening. He was there, so she shouldn't have a reason to be upset. He frowned. Maybe the human had a point. Maybe just being in the same room wasn't enough all the time to keep her from being sad. His gaze snapped upwards when Mama began to fold the dress. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Mama shrugged. "I guess I'll have to see about dropping this off at a thrift store. There's no way to have the dress altered without it being obvious, and Eri said the store didn't have any other sizes available. Why do you ask, dear?"

* * *

Kagome was still irritated, and now it was more directed at the hanyou sitting on her bed. Human Inuyasha had followed her and gave her a gentle hug, but the hanyou was itching for a fight it seemed. "It's not your problem, so butt out, Inuyasha!"

"You're damn right it's my problem if I gotta smell how upset it's made you!"

"Inuyasha I swear to god if you don't stop-"

"Do you think this is making her feel any better?"

Inuyasha growled at his human side, but it didn't deter him. In fact, he sat down in Kagome's desk chair, reaching for her wrist and tugging her to sit in his lap. Kagome let out a small squeak but didn't fight against it. _'At least one side of Inuyasha is trying to be nice to me and not peck.'_ She resigned herself to sitting there for the long haul, because with each growl from the hanyou, the human would tighten his embrace somehow.

"Get your hands offa her."

"Stop growling like you have no sense."

"Fuck you."

"I'd rather it be with-"

The sound of the bedroom door being slammed open stopped Human Inuyasha from saying something Kagome wasn't sure she was prepared to hear. It was just as well – Youkai Inuyasha's entrance was enough to make everyone forget what they were arguing about.

"Inu…yasha?" Kagome's eyes had to be playing tricks on her. There was no way she was seeing what she was seeing.

"The fuck….is…_is that Kagome's dress_?!" Inuyasha couldn't believe his youkai side had done something so stupid as this.

It was the dress, and Kagome now knew that it was the designer of the dress to blame for its indecency than her body changing. Youkai Inuyasha wasn't overly muscular like a body builder, but the neckline still sat lower than it should have on him. The sleeves didn't fall as far as they did on her, but he was taller. The length of the dress however…it was barely concealing his masculinity.

"Where are your underwear!" Human Inuyasha asked, horrified.

"Had to take 'em off," Youkai Inuyasha grinned, throwing his arms outward to let the sleeves expand and struck a pose. "Your mate is here, Ka-Go-Me."

Kagome couldn't look away from the disaster that stood before her. Youkai Inuyasha looked far too proud of himself in that dress, and she couldn't be sure if it was because he had her attention, or that she kept looking down at his hips. The dress fit him just as tight in the hips as it did her, but that wasn't why her eyes kept dropping. It was the bulge that strained against the fabric that he made a point to put on display for her at any opportunity. She wasn't _trying_ to look! The dress' hemline stopped _just beneath_ it, and it wouldn't take much to get a one-eyed surprise if he wasn't wearing his boxers.

When he turned on the spot with his arms still outstretched, she knew immediately that he was going commando. That dress was so tight there would have been an outline where his boxers stopped.

"How the fuck are you wearing that?" Human Inuyasha was never going to be able to erase this image.

"Carefully."

"Do us a favor and don't bend over," Inuyasha groaned. "Kagome doesn't need to see that."

"Mama said I fit the description of the dress' name rather well," Youkai Inuyasha grinned, turning back to Kagome and striking another pose. "Tell me, Mate. Do I enchant you?"

There was silence as the three waited for her response. Would she sit the youkai for putting the dress on? For calling her 'Mate'? Inuyasha braced himself for the ultimate sit, ready to get off the bed and just lay on the floor in wait. Hearing light snickers turn into a loud and hard laugh was the last thing he was expecting. Kagome was doubled over in the human's lap, holding her sides as she laughed to the point of tears.

A small part of Inuyasha knew that he couldn't berate the youkai for whatever possessed him to put on the dress, but he did question his sanity. He had managed to make her laugh, and all traces of any sadness that had lingered were long gone. _'Guess I'm gonna have to remember this the next time Kagome gets sad,'_ he thought. _'but there's no way in hell I'm wearing her clothes!'_


	2. Cuddle Puppy

**A/N: Takes place sometime in the beginning of chapter 6. Just a bit of filler after they get the jewel shard and before Kagome goes back through the well.**

* * *

Kaede didn't ask questions when the group returned to the village. It wasn't hard to figure out that things hadn't gone well between the aggravated looks, Kagome's change of clothes, and the absence of Sango, Shippo, and Kirara. She shook her head and continued with her work. If they had bothered to ask her advice, she would have suggested _not_ getting on the road, but hindsight was pointless now.

Kagome had retreated to their borrowed hut, preparing the fire pit for another night of instant noodles. Miroku went to collect water, needed to get away from the constant bitching he'd had to listen to all the way back. Inuyasha had left as well, mumbling about getting some meat because the ramen wouldn't be enough. She had a feeling it was an excuse to maim something with purpose, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. As it was, she wasn't particularly happy either, having had to wash youkai guts off in the nearest spring with no privacy and wear a spare sundress back. The uniform had been wrung out and stuffed in a mesh bag that she'd used to collect fish, so on top of the acrid smell of bile and other unmentionable scents, her school clothes smelled of fish. Once she had the fire prepared she removed the wet clothes from the bag and hung them up inside the hut to dry. She'd still have to take them home and pray the washing machine could get them clean, but it'd be better than having them mildew.

Throughout her tasks she hadn't said a word to either the youkai or human forms of Inuyasha, who sat on opposite sides of the fire pit. Human Inuyasha didn't dare comment, knowing that she was unhappy, and as much as he wanted to fix it, he wasn't the one who had fucked up. The youkai on the other hand, knew full well that he was to blame. His first mistake had been to tell her _not_ to fight. His second had been following her into the spring. He'd had the best intentions of course, to help his mate get the gunk out of her hair. She hadn't seen it that way.

Miroku stopped by with the containers of water. "I've been called to lend a hand," he said, passing the water to Human Inuyasha. "I'll be back in time for dinner." Then he bolted.

Kagome snorted, taking a seat by the fire.

"You seem disbelieving, Ka-go-me." Youkai Inuyasha drew her name out, unable to hide the grin at her reaction. She'd deny it, but he knew even without using his nose that the shiver that came over her when he said her name like that meant she liked it.

"Given what happened earlier, can you blame him for not wanting to be here right now?"

Human Inuyasha looked up from stoking the fire. Her tone spoke volumes. "Do you wish to return to your time tonight?" It would suck not having her there, but if she wished it he'd walk her to the well right then and deal with the hanyou when he returned.

"No…I still need to figure out how I'm going to explain to Mama what happened. It's not like she's expecting me back tonight or anything." She huffed, crossing her arms. "How am I even supposed to tell her when I don't even know what really happened!"

Human Inuyasha didn't have an answer for that. He looked over the fire at the youkai to see if he had any input on the matter, and couldn't believe what he was seeing. _'That idiot is going to get himself sat through the floor of the hut,'_ he thought as he watched the youkai crawl across the floor and lay his head in Kagome's lap. He was too focused on watching the shitshow that was about to go down to acknowledge that the hanyou had stepped into the hut with meat for their dinner.

"The fuck is going on here?!"

Kagome was just as surprised as Inuyasha sounded, but she couldn't look away from the seemingly innocent looking red eyes that stared up at her. "What-"

"Is this alright, Ka-go-me?" He drew her name out in a purr again, hoping to get her permission. He knew that the human had gotten the opportunity long ago to lay his head here, and he'd been jealous. Not that he'd admit to being jealous of the human; after all it had been his dumbass that had gotten poisoned in the first place.

She swallowed, looking down at Youkai Inuyasha. She couldn't really use the beads in this instance without doing damage to herself, and Inuyasha didn't do anything to warrant being sat. _'I guess it's not hurting anything,'_ she thought. "On one condition," she said softly. "That I can rub your ears."

Human Inuyasha looked up at the hanyou with raised brows. Inuyasha could only look on in horror as his youkai side grinned widely.

"You can touch me however you want, Ka-go-me."

Inuyasha sputtered at the words as he dropped the meat into the pot to cook, nearly missing it entirely. Kagome let out a small laugh and he looked up to see her tentatively reach out and brush her fingers across the youkai's ears. He'd never understand her fascination with his ears, but it looked like the youkai had pleased her with his answer. She continued to rub the soft flesh between her fingers, and he lay still in her lap, watching her with something Inuyasha didn't want to think about.

It was adoration. The youkai watched Kagome like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

His human side continued to watch the food since Kagome was indisposed at the moment. He'd seen her fix the ramen enough times to know when to add the water to the cups. It was when he got up to get some rice to have with the meat that he heard Kagome giggle louder. Human Inuyasha looked over and felt relief at seeing Kagome's irritation from earlier melting away. The youkai continued to snuggle in her lap, a few times making her squeak in surprise, but she never made him move.

"You're just a big cuddle puppy aren't you?" she laughed as he shifted again.

Human Inuyasha snorted in laughter, not so much at Kagome's words, but at the look on the hanyou's face. He'd gone an interesting shade of red and couldn't form a simple sentence. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad while they figured things out.

"I'm _your_ cuddle puppy, mate."

"Stop saying that to her!"

"Inuyasha, he didn't mean anything by it-"

"On the contrary, I meant every word. It's not _my_ fault you have a stick in your ass, hanyou."

Then again…as long as he steered clear of the line of fire, perhaps he'd be entertained. At least the beads had no effect on him.


	3. The Hot Spring

**A/N: Another that takes place at the beginning of chapter 6, but before the events in Cuddle Puppy.**

* * *

The idea had been to follow the shard rumor. It wasn't much of a plan, but it had been the plan. Fighting the overgrown Neanderthal of a youkai, that was expected. Fighting amongst the group was not, but also not unheard of for them. Now Sango, Shippo, and Kirara were gone and Kagome was left with a snickering monk and three Inuyashas that were _still_ arguing.

And she was covered in blood, guts, flesh, and what she _hoped_ was bile.

"Will you three shut up!" she shouted, making the few birds left in the area scatter and the four males flinch.

"Kagome…"

"Don't 'Kagome' me!" she hissed. "I am disgusting. I stink to high heaven. I'm pretty sure I have a piece of flesh in my cleavage! I. Need. A. Bath."

Youkai Inuyasha dared to take a step forward. "If you'll allow me – "

"You want to keep that hand?"

For once Inuyasha was glad to see that his youkai side knew not to push his luck. He knew the miko was upset and it wasn't time for his antics. He glared at Miroku, the one person who wasn't filthy. "Why don't you set up a temporary camp for lunch. There's a hot spring not far from here I'm going to take Kagome to so she can wash."

* * *

"I thought I was going to be alone?"

"What kind of mate would I be if I left you on your own?" Youkai Inuyasha grinned as he floated by on his back in the water.

"Did you _have_ to take _all_ of your clothes off?!"

"It was my understanding that to properly bathe you had to be naked – "

"Yeah! And maybe I would be if you weren't here!" she said hotly.

Kagome stood waist deep in the spring as she furiously lathered shampoo in her hair. With all of the…additions…that had soaked into her uniform, she'd taken extra care to not breathe in as she pulled her top off. And then the youkai had broke through the trees as she'd unzipped her skirt, stripping as he went. She'd shouted at him as she darted into the water in her underwear, not that he listened. It didn't help matters any that Inuyasha's human side followed, glaring at the youkai as he collected the discarded clothing. He'd stopped at the edge of the spring and peeled off his kosode before he began to wash.

"Maybe if you had an ounce of decency Kagome could do just that," Inuyasha growled. He'd followed the two because he _knew_ one of them would do something stupid. "And could you at least stand up! No one needs to see that!"

"If Kagome minded she'd have used the beads." Youkai Inuyasha said in a bored tone, spreading his legs further apart deliberately.

Kagome whirled around, forgetting that her white bra hid nothing when wet. "If I did that you'd drown, you idiot!"

"I can hold my breath."

"Not for that long!"

"Would you like to see?" He turned his head slightly, grinning at her flustered expression. He hadn't moved to cover himself, and she'd gotten another good look. Youkai Inuyasha took a deep breath before sinking under the water.

Kagome frowned as she saw the dark shadow move around in the hot spring. It wasn't especially deep, so he was easy to track, but she didn't like that he stayed down there. It _was_ a hot spring after all, and she felt flushed from the heat by simply standing there. "H-hey," she started to call out to him as the shadow paused in front of her legs. "Alright I get it. Very funny. You can quit now."

He didn't move.

"I said you can stop!"

Still nothing.

"Inuyasha!" Panic gripped Kagome as she reached into the water, ready to pull him up by his shoulders. Her hands barely touched his skin when he stood, startling her.

Youkai Inuyasha's ears flicked, shaking little droplets of water off as he looked down at the miko. "Just as I said –"

"You jerk!" Kagome slapped his chest in a huff. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was –"

Before she could do it again he grasped both hands in his larger ones. "You were worried about me?" he grinned.

"Of course I was!" What did he take her for? How could she not be worried; this was Inuyasha, after all!

The youkai pulled her against him, grinning at the small squeak of surprise when she met his bare chest. "That's all I wanted to hear," he whispered in her ear, giving Kagome a chaste kiss on her cheek before backing away.

'_Wh-what?'_ Had that just happened? Had the youkai really been sweet? With no ulterior motive? She watched him turn and move back towards the edge of the spring, keeping his back to her. He resumed bathing as if nothing had happened. Kagome was baffled, and from what she could tell, so were the human and hanyou. Kagome turned and resumed the process of rinsing her hair and checking for any missing bits of gunk. _'I wouldn't have pegged Inuyasha's youkai side to need reassurance,'_ she thought, recalling his words. _'I guess with how he grew up I shouldn't be surprised…'_ As cocky as he acted, the youkai still wanted to know that she cared about him. That little statement made some of her anger at him dissipate.

Not all of it, of course. She wasn't about to undress completely with him nearby even if he wasn't looking. In hindsight wearing her oldest bra had its merits. If she couldn't get the smell out then it wouldn't be a total loss.

But if he _ever_ caught on that being sweet like that would make her less angry with him, she was screwed.


	4. InuKag Week: Acceptance

**No specific place where this fits in, but it could take place shortly after Kagome returns home for the first time and explains what's happened.**

* * *

The one person in the Higurashi household that wasn't keen on the idea of there being three of Inuyasha was Grandpa. Kagome knew he wasn't crazy about having a hanyou drop into their house at sporadic times, taking her back five hundred years in the past. It was probably the human side of him that kept him from being entirely displeased with Inuyasha's presence some days. The youkai side on the other hand…well he knew how to push the old man's buttons. Intentionally. They both knew the sutras didn't work when he used them, and it was to her grandfather's utter _delight_ when he learned that she had the ability. Youkai Inuyasha…not so much.

She sat at the table in the living room across from her grandfather as she wrote protection spells on each sutra he'd set before her. It was meant to be a novelty to sell in the gift shop, but after the mishap with the ancient Noh Mask, Kagome didn't mind infusing the sutras to fulfill their purpose. He'd taught her how to write them as a little girl, and with the assistance of Kaede and Miroku, she'd learned how to harness her abilities.

"How are you coming, Kagome?" Grandpa asked from behind his newspaper.

"Good," she responded in a flat tone, too focused on something else entirely to realize that she was writing the protection spell on the back of her left hand. If Grandpa hadn't looked over his paper and caught her in time, she may have moved on to the table itself. "Oh – sorry, Gramps." She grinned sheepishly. "Guess I got distracted."

He hummed, frowning as he turned to follow where she'd been looking. As he suspected, her focus was on the youkai side of Inuyasha. He'd been looking for something to do, so the older man had given him a list of things to sort and move that were too heavy. It wasn't much but it kept him busy and out of his granddaughter's hair for a while. "I'm not surprised. That boy has been your focus ever since he first barged into our home."

"Grandpa…" Kagome wanted to call him out on that, but he did have a point. The family's first impression of him had been…chaotic to be put mildly. She sighed, setting down her brush. "You know Inuyasha isn't as bad as you act –"

"I know that."

"Then why do you give him such a hard time?" she asked. "Especially since he split. The only one you really tolerate is his human side!"

"It's not that I _tolerate_ him, Kagome." He sighed. "I don't know how to approach a youkai, or even a hanyou, without recalling all of the things I was taught as a shrine boy."

"Inuyasha's not like those stories," she frowned. "I mean yeah, he can be crude and obnoxious, but that's him. Even his human side can act that way." She couldn't fault him for the way he acted sometimes; the bits he'd revealed to her about his life growing up wasn't easy, and she knew it served as a cover for his protection.

Grandpa folded his paper and set it on the table. "You're missing my point, Kagome. I'm an old man that can't be swayed so easily from what I've believed for so long. It's going to take time for me to accept that that part-timer is here for the long haul, whatever form he's in. How would you feel if you were in my place, knowing that one day your oldest grandchild is growing up and getting a boyfriend who could throw a car into the next city?"

"B-boyfriend?! Now wait –"

He let out a laugh at the perplexed look on Kagome's face. "You can't fool this old man, my dear. I can see it as plain as day on your face that you like the part-timer!"

Kagome sputtered, trying to deny it, but finding no way of doing it without blatantly lying. She sighed miserably. "Is it that obvious?"

"If you know what to look for. Your father looked at your mother the same way when they were teenagers. A parent knows when their child – or grandchild – has fallen in love."

"Does that…bother you? That…you know?" She had a hard enough time admitting to Human Inuyasha that she liked him – or rather each side of him – but talking about this with her grandfather? It was unthinkable!

"Do you mean that you've grown to care for him or that he's a hanyou?" Grandpa reached for his cup of tea, taking a sip and pulling a face at how it had gone cold. He set the cup back down and pushed it away so he wouldn't forget and do it again. "Kagome, it isn't easy for me to accept that you're growing up. To me you're always going to be that little girl who wanted to become a priestess like the old stories that tried to purify Buyo in our bathtub. It means I'm getting older, and…" he shook his head, not wanting to go down that road. It was a pleasant day, and he didn't want to bring her mood down with talk of the inevitable. "If the part-timer makes you happy, then I will be happy for you. Assuming, of course, that he wises up and acknowledges his feelings." He spoke the last part loud enough to draw the attention of the youkai.

Youkai Inuyasha walked into the living room, dropping to sit next to Kagome. "It seems that I've been summoned, old man?"

"You know what I said."

"I do," the youkai propped his elbow on the table and rested his chin in hand, staring at Grandpa. "And I know _exactly_ what I feel, old man. The one that you need to beat the sense into is the hanyou."

"I thought that was your job, boy."

"Keh. My _job_ was moving all of those boxes of things into that gift shop stock room, as you ordered me to do." Youkai Inuyasha pointed out, sending a wink at Kagome. All three knew that he'd approached her grandfather and offered his strength. It was just a way to goad him into an argument.

"You test my patience, part-timer." Grandpa smirked. He knew what the youkai was doing, and while he'd never admit it, he enjoyed the quips. It reminded him of his late son, and how they would go back and forth with meaningless squabbles.

"And you use me to test your sutras. Fat lot of good they do. Ask me how I know," he grinned.

Grandpa bristled at the dig, but sighed and returned to his paper. "You do good," he mumbled behind the newspaper. "You run your mouth a lot, but you do good work. I'll give you that."

Kagome laughed to herself as she wiped the ink from the back of her hand with a wet wipe from the container next to her. The youkai stared suspiciously at the stack of completed sutras with a frown. She could see the debate in his eyes, wondering if he was curious enough to touch them since she had been the one to write them. Before he could be tempted to zap himself, she reached out and moved the stack to the opposite side of the table. When he gave her a pout, she gently patted his hand. "He's right, you know," she whispered just loud enough so he'd hear it. "You _are_ good."

Youkai Inuyasha's lips quirked up slightly. He'd heard that the old man accepted him as a suitable mate for Kagome despite everything. Once the hanyou could be convinced of that, all would be right.


	5. InuKag Week: Loyalty

Kagome wasn't sure when exactly Kouga learned about the Bone-eater's well or it's abilities, but climbing out of the well with three versions of Inuyasha and finding him, Ginta, and Hakkaku waiting were the last thing she expected. Her plan had been to spend that Saturday in the feudal era, see if there was any news, visit in the village, then return to her house by sundown. Those plans were tossed when she felt the dual jewel shards as soon as she landed in the past. Before she could even greet the ookami pack leader he'd bellowed, "What the hell happened to you, mutt face?!"

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to point?" Youkai Inuyasha said in a bored tone, setting Kagome down on her feet.

"How are there three Inuyashas?" Ginta whispered to Hakkaku, who could only shrug.

"Maybe it's some new ability he learned?"

Kouga growled, not liking the idea that Inuyasha might've learned a new trick to best him. "Will someone explain what the hell is going on?!"

Kagome turned, looking to Inuyasha. She was ready to make up a story if he didn't want to share the truth, which wouldn't be hard given that she didn't know _everything_ about the reason he split. The hanyou gave a small shrug.

"Keh. Might as well tell him, Kagome." He couldn't be any more humiliated than he already was, so why not let the ookami get his laugh of the day.

* * *

Twenty minutes later and a watered-down version of what actually happened after his human night, Kagome was surprised to find that Kouga wasn't laughing. She'd feared that he'd give Inuyasha an insurmountable amount of grief, but he actually looked…troubled? No, that couldn't be it. Concerned? No way though – surely he wasn't concerned about Inuyasha's well being. After a few minutes of silence, she learned the reason for that look.

"Why don't you come stay with us, Kagome?"

"The fuck?!" Both the human and youkai sides yelled.

Kouga didn't rush forward and grab her hands like he was usually doing, she noticed. In fact, he was keeping a wide berth from her for once. She'd felt the flare of youki behind her when he'd suggested it, and wondered if that was why he was staying away. Did he feel threatened by Youkai Inuyasha? _'That isn't right. Inuyasha's just as strong when he's hanyou. Even as a human he's still stronger than most regular men.'_ The idea that Kouga would act that way shouldn't have surprised her, but it left her feeling very annoyed.

Kouga looked at each version of Inuyasha. The raw power of the full youkai was…startling, and he knew he needed to tread carefully. "Look at you. How are you going to protect Kagome when you're in three forms? You sure as hell can't fight Naraku like that. If Kagome comes with us until you get your mess figured out, she'll be well cared for. She'll –"

"_She_ is standing right here, you know." The miko bristled. "I am perfectly capable of handling myself, and in the event that I get in over my head, Inuyasha is there."

"But Kagome, he's –"

"I guarantee you I can take care of Kagome a fair deal more than you ever could, flea bag," Youkai Inuyasha grinned.

Both Kouga and Kagome looked to him when he spoke, and he made a deliberate point of grabbing himself through the jeans he wore, further emphasizing what he meant. Kagome's face burned as she shrieked "Could you not!?"

On the other hand, Kouga had a different reaction. "Don't matter how much you're packing if you don't know how to use it!"

"I beg to differ –"

"That's enough," Kagome said. Why couldn't she have a normal weekend for once? At the very least not have to deal with a pissing contest between the two. It was already bad enough that Inuyasha was arguing with himself. She dared to approach the ookami, taking on of his hands in hers. "Kouga, I appreciate your concern, but Inuyasha is still Inuyasha. He's just as strong in three forms as he is normally. Trust me, Inuyasha takes care of me. He makes sure I eat, he protects me when we go out, and he's constantly fussing over me." From behind her she could hear the telltale growl, but she couldn't be sure if it was the hanyou or the youkai that was making the sound.

He looked like he wanted to argue her point, until he looked over her head and saw the trio of dark looks. Kouga looked back down to Kagome, who was smiling up at him reassuringly. He knew the mutt had things under control, deep down. As much as it made him want to vomit to acknowledge, Inuyasha had his strengths, and tending to Kagome was up there. He tried not to let his face show his displeasure as Inuyasha's scent covered Kagome. She absolutely reeked of the mutt's scent, and it struck him then why the youki flareup put him on edge. _'Shit. She's his chosen.'_ "You're…certain, Kagome?" he swallowed. His pride had just taken a huge hit with the realization that she was lost to him. "You could bring him with you…"

Kagome shook her head. "I'm sorry, I have to stay near the well right now. Inuyasha needs me here. When we figure out how to get Inuyasha back in one body, we'll be hunting for Naraku again. Maybe we'll meet up again?"

"Heh. Of that I have no doubt." Kouga stiffened when Kagome threw her arms around him in a hug, but eventually returned it, despite the loud growling from feet away. "We'll be seeing you around then, Kagome. And Inuyasha?"

"What?" the hanyou glared. Through the whole exchange he wanted nothing more than to tear Kagome away from the ookami. If he'd been in one body, he would have, but with the youkai… it was better not to give him an excuse to let loose. Kouga had caught on and kept his distance, at least until Kagome had approached him. Since neither of them wanted to hurt her feelings intentionally, he'd had to stay back and watch. And it pissed him off to no end.

"You'd best take care of Kagome. Cause if something happens to her, I will kick your ass. I don't care if you're in one body or three. I'll line you up if I have to."

"Keh." Human Inuyasha smirked. "You could try."

"Feeling ballsy for a human, aren't you?"

"You'd have to get past him," the human jerked a thumb at the youkai next to him.

Youkai Inuyasha's grin was alarming, as if he looked forward to the challenge. Kagome sighed. He likely was already envisioning it.

* * *

The discussion at the well wasn't mentioned again until later that evening. Kagome had left to change into her pajamas, leaving Inuyasha in her room. The hanyou sat at the foot of the bed and sulked. Everything about the day had sucked in his opinion. No news from Sango, no jewel shards collected, no closer to returning to one body, and _now_ Kouga knew what had happened to him. The only consolation was that he'd kept his distance, at least until Kagome –

"Regretting not going with the ookami?" he grumbled as soon as she came back in the room.

"What are you going on about?"

"Kouga. You know you don't have to babysit me like I'm some sort of obligation –"

Human Inuyasha was about to point out that _they_ were in _her_ bed and that the argument was convoluted, but the youkai stopped him. Kagome was already firing back anyway.

"Obligation?! You think I'm _obligated_ to stand by you when you need help?! You moron! How – How could you think that?!"

"What am I supposed to think when you're always making sparkly eyes at that ookami!" he shot back.

"I do not –"

"Feh. Course you do. Every time his scent comes around it happens –"

"Do not –"

"Yeah, you do –"

"Don't start, Inuyasha –"

"I ain't startin' nothin' –"

A pillow flew through the air, connecting with the hanyou's face, stopping him mid sentence. When he pulled it away to glare at the one who threw it, Kagome was struggling not to laugh. His youkai side didn't try to pretend that he wasn't guilty.

"I don't care if you started it, I'm finishing it," Youkai Inuyasha declared. "If you'd have used your nose Hanyou, you'd know that Kagome is loyal to us down to the core. She never had any intention of leaving us to go with his pack."

Kagome sent him a grateful smile. "Thank you Inuyasha. I'm glad at least one side of you has faith in me. Honestly –" she mumbled as she crawled in the bed between the human and the youkai. "after how many years we've known each other and you think I'd drop you like a sack of potatoes…"

Inuyasha sputtered, catching every word she said. Before he could respond, the youkai chimed in again. "Think about it, Hanyou. A true alpha's mate will stand with him even in his worst moments. She will support him, guide him when he seeks her counsel. Her focus is for him and him alone at the end of the day. With that kind of devotion the alpha should return the favor to his mate." Here he looked Kagome up and down slowly. "Cherish her. Care for her. Tend to her every want and need."

She didn't miss the appreciative stare she was getting from Youkai Inuyasha, but tried to focus more on what he said. The words were sweet, however it was that look that made her stomach flip. _'How am I supposed to sleep thinking about that look –'_ Kagome blinked when a pillow whizzed by her head. Inuyasha had returned the gesture, his face as red as the firerat.

"Will you stop talking about mates, you jackass!"

"Why don't you own up and face the facts, _you_ jackass!"

'_Then again, that's _if _I can go to sleep_._'_


	6. InuKag Week: Confession

**No specific placement for this one, other than it falls after chapter 7 for…obvious reasons.**

* * *

"There's something we need to tell you, mate."

A loud smack was heard in the room immediately after when Inuyasha threw the paperback in his hands at the youkai. "Stop saying that, moron!"

"You know I'm right you insufferable –"

Kagome sighed. All she wanted to do was read the novel her literature class was assigned. She wanted to take advantage and get ahead so she could prepare her report in the even that they were to get back to traveling…but neither getting ahead nor shard hunting seemed like it would happen anytime soon. Instead of sitting at her desk to read, she'd mistakenly chosen to sit on her bed, where it was more comfortable.

Especially since she had to replace it.

But then the youkai decided that he wanted to sit with her, and then the human followed suit, leaning back against the headboard on her other side because "like hell if he'd allow the youkai to pull something". Each of them had picked something to flip through from her bookshelf before crawling up next to her. Then Inuyasha had come into the room, taken one look and told them both to get off the bed. Youkai Inuyasha had pointed out that neither of them were doing anything wrong, then told him to grab a book and stop bitching because they were trying to read. That'd resulted in Inuyasha scowling before blindly reaching for a paperback and sitting at the foot of the bed facing them.

The same paperback he'd just chucked at the youkai's head.

A loud groan was heard as Kagome plucked the book-turned-weapon and glanced at the cover. Oh god, he'd grabbed one of the romance novels that Eri had gifted her years ago. It hadn't even been a decent story, and the sex scenes were… highly unrealistic. She hadn't had the heart to throw a book away, so it had set on the shelf collecting dust, until Inuyasha had picked it up. Kagome hesitated for a moment, passing the book back to Inuyasha. If he actually read anything from it, she'd hear about it sure as hell. "Look – I don't care _what_ word he uses, Inuyasha –"

"Kagome you really shouldn't say that –" Inuyasha warned her, seeing the delighted glint in the youkai's eyes.

"- but I have homework that I need to do, so if your youkai side has something to say, let him say it."

"Thank you," the youkai purred in her ear, grinning more when she visibly shivered. "As I was saying…there is something that you should know about us."

Kagome, not able to help herself mock-gasped. "Oh my god, you're really a woman. I should have known all along –"

Human Inuyasha let out a bark of laughter. Neither the hanyou nor the youkai looked amused, but after a few moments the youkai understood that she was making a joke and smirked.

"Come now, mate," his voice dropped as he slipped an arm around shoulders, letting his claws dance lightly on the bare skin of her arm. "You've seen us naked. There's no faking what we have."

"Would you just tell Kagome what you wanted to say so damn bad and cut this shit out already?!"

Youkai Inuyasha rolled his eyes at Inuyasha's insistence. "Fine, Hanyou," he mumbled. He couldn't have any fun, could he? Don't do this. Don't do that. Don't call Kagome 'mate'. Stop trying to feel Kagome up. You're not following her in the bathroom to bathe…it never stopped. "Since the hanyou won't say it, and I doubt that the human would admit to it willingly…" he took Kagome's free hand in his larger one. "…we are…inexperienced, in more intimate matters."

"Huh?"

"We have not explored the pleasures of the flesh –"

"No! That's not what I mean!" she squeaked, blushing. "I mean – _why_ are you telling _me_ this?"

"You know why."

Kagome shook her head, pretending that she _didn't_ know. Of course she knew. Between him always referring to her as his mate, and the gestures…it didn't take a genius to figure it out. He didn't have to be so…._blunt_ about it. Really, she shouldn't be surprised. He _did_ run off to hunt breakfast completely naked. Shame wasn't in his vocabulary.

Human Inuyasha had stopped laughing and daring to glance his way, Kagome saw he was just as flustered. "It's not a bad thing," she pointed out, trying to make him feel better. She could never understand why guys always felt inadequate if they hadn't. "Doing…that doesn't make you a man. Your character is what defines you, not how many…conquests…you've had."

Inuyasha appreciated her words, but held his tongue. Even if his life had been different growing up, he still would be lacking in this particular knowledge because of what he was. The world may look at him like an abomination, but Kagome saw things in him that even he didn't know were there. It was one of the reasons that he loved her so much.

"Truer words have never been spoken, but I brought this up for another reason."

"Oh?" she asked. Inuyasha did not like the innocent look on the youkai's face. He was up to something.

The youkai grinned, and Inuyasha knew good and damn well he was about to do something. Something stupid, probably. Something that was likely to get him sat, and by extension _him_ – and he didn't do anything! He braced himself for whatever the youkai had planned. If he was going to get sat because of that asshole, he was dragging him off the bed first. If another one broke so soon, he wasn't sure Mama would think something else had taken place.

"The reason I brought it up was to tell you so that you wouldn't be disappointed if we cannot last."

Kagome squeaked , "L-last?" She had to have heard wrong. He wasn't talking about –

Inuyasha didn't have to listen for the whispered words his youkai side told Kagome next. The widening eyes, the parted lips, the flush that disappeared under her shirt…they said it all. And he'd been explicit, if the way her heart was beating so loudly, as well as the change in her scent, were anything to go by.

Dammit. He hated that he liked that so much. To know that she responded so well. It wasn't right by either of their time's standards – she was too good for him – but he didn't care. She was meant for him, no matter how much he tried to deny it.

The human side of him must have heard the words spoken, because he reached behind Kagome and slapped the youkai with his book. "What is wrong with you?!" he hissed.

"Kagome asked –"

"She didn't ask for _details_!"

Between the two arguing Inuyashas, Kagome drew her knees up to her chest, letting her chin rest on her arms. Inuyasha looked as embarrassed as she felt. _'All I wanted to do was get ahead on my homework. Was that too much to ask?' _


	7. InuKag Week: Desire

**For Desire, there's nothing smutty. Sorry guys, but with Fever Dream in the works I can promise there will be smut galore to make up for it. ****Could take place anywhere from chapters 7 to 10, really. (Anyone got ideas for a nickname for Kagome's pervy thoughts?)**

* * *

There was something about the way that Inuyasha could fill out modern clothes that made Kagome's heart skip a beat. Normally he'd still be wearing his robes, but since he split, he'd gradually began to change into the clothes that Mama had gifted him while he was in her time. The robes were cleaned, folded, and tucked away in her closet where he could get them any time he wished. Part of her wanted to hide them, just so she could see him wear the shirts and jeans more often.

Kagome could see him from her window, alongside his youkai and human sides, unloading a large shipment for her grandfather. He could be seen further off across the shrine, signing off on the delivery and directing the "part -timers" on where they could be put. She was supposed to be doing her homework – biology, ironically – but the sight of the three gave her pause. Their hair was tied back, but it was the flexing of his biceps with each box he picked up that had her staring.

In the years since they met, he'd filled out as he became stronger. His shoulders had gotten broad, giving her more to hold onto when she was being carried on his back. And his back…she could tell even through the thick material of the fire rat the muscles had become more defined. Patching him up after battles became a secret treat for her just to see that bared skin. Not that he really needed to be bandaged most of the time, but he'd still allow her to go through the motions. Come to think of it, he often did that without her even asking.

"_Maybe he likes it when you watch him,"_ her inner voice chimed in gleefully. It was becoming apparent that this 'naughty voice' of hers wasn't leaving. _"I bet if you asked, he'd be more than happy to go bathing with you for a closer inspection –"_

"Shut up!" she hissed out loud, feeling her face heat up.

"_You know I speak the truth,"_ the voice continued. _"The youkai and the human certainly don't mind if you watch them. It stands to reason that either of them would be happy to let you watch –"_

"I said shut up!"

"_Did I touch a nerve? You know I'm right, Kagome?"_ She could almost swear the internal voice were pacing around her like an animal stalking its prey. _"You've seen the way they stare at you. You get a thrill from it. You crave it. Your breath hitches when they touch you. The beat of your heart picks up each time your name falls from their lips. You can't lie to me, Kagome. I know that you desire them. Him."_

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"_I don't?"_ the voice sounded offended. _"You mean that I don't know how you wish he'd peel those clothes off and ask you to wash his back?"_

"That's –"

"_How your thoughts at night for years have been filled with the words you desperately want to hear from him?"_

"Now wait a minute –"

"_How you wish that you could be pinned between the youkai and the human, driven to the brink of madness as they ravish you? Who do you think puts those thoughts there, Kagome? It's me! I do. I am you at your rawest desires, the sexual curiosities waiting to be fulfilled."_

Kagome's face was so hot at the point she could feel the heat radiating all over. Okay sure – she'd had the occasional thought once or twice…a month…for…longer than she cared to admit – but the point was that her inner voice was not going to call her out on this. The voice was right, as much as she hated to admit it. "Yeah well," she sputtered, "what the hell am I supposed to do about it exactly?"

"_I suggest putting on that lacey red set the youkai found the other day, recline on the bed, and let the chips fall where they may."_

"I don't think so!"

"_Then you'd best get to practicing with your hand again,"_ the voice scoffed. _"If you continue down this solitary road you've got only yourself to blame –"_

"Inuyasha probably doesn't even think that way about me, you jerk! If I did that and he rejected me, do you know what that would do to me?! To our friendship?!"

The voice became silent, and Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe it had decided to leave her be. For the time being, anyway; she knew the voice would come back to try again. It wouldn't leave her be until she did something about her feelings. What _could_ she do, though? If she said anything she stood the risk of ruining her friendship…or making it something even more wonderful. She groaned, turning back to the desk where her forgotten homework sat. _'I really should get back to my work,'_ she thought miserably.

Of course she wanted to tell Inuyasha that she was hopelessly in love with him. Of course she wanted to try out all of her dirtiest fantasies with him. The only thing that was stopping her was that tiny fear that he wouldn't feel the same. He knew she liked him, and she knew he treated her differently, and according to Sango that was a big deal. But with everything going on, she wasn't sure she could even broach the topic.


	8. InuKag Week: Instinct

**Again, there's no specific place this falls. Well…okay it would have to happen before _certain things_ happen obviously. Y'know_, things_.**

* * *

Kagome should have known that when she first brought the quick-fix instant noodles back to the feudal era, she was going to face a dilemma in the form of an addicted hanyou. She didn't think it would transfer over to the youkai peeking in every plastic bag she brought home from the store. She'd never tell him to his face, but his curious expression had been adorable, so with each store run she had to make a note to pick up something special. Or rather, _three_ of the same thing, because she was not going to come off as playing favorites with any side of Inuyasha. If she had thought about his innate curiosity for the things she bought as anything more than…human…she might have anticipated what had happened over the weekend.

It had been hot out, too hot for her grandfather to be messing about in their small garden like he'd been talking about, so she had volunteered to check over everything. It would be quiet, and right then she felt that she deserved a few moments of quiet.

That was the plan, anyway.

She donned a large wide-brimmed hat, copious amounts of sunscreen on her exposed arms and legs, and threw on a large gauzy shirt for added protection. The hanyou had passed by her in the hallway as she collected the keys for the tool shed, griping about the smell of the sunscreen. Kagome didn't offer a retort, instead sticking her tongue out at his retreating back. He'd been giving her the cold shoulder anyway, so what right did he have to comment?

Not to be deterred by his sour disposition, she marched out the back door and to the tool shed, unlocking it to retrieve the bucket of assorted hand tools she might need. It was forecast to rain that evening, so she wasn't too concerned with watering anything. Weeds, on the other hand, were her top priority. Mama had told her that they'd gotten heavy downpours recently, and coupled with high heat and poor air quality, they hadn't gotten as much care as they needed. Kagome had watched the news that morning, not seeing that pattern breaking any time soon. Just as well – while she was there she could help take care of this for her grandfather. It wasn't an overly large garden. He'd worked it since she was a little girl, rotating different vegetables over the years, experimenting with what grew well and what they used most often. From a glance she saw a collection of tomato and bell pepper plants.

Kagome sunk to her knees at the closest corner of the garden and began to jerk up the small sprigs of weeds that were breaking through the dirt. For a time it was a pattern of kneeling, ripping up weeds, checking plants for any bug damage, then rising and moving down another foot. She could feel the youki of either Inuyasha or his Youkai half move towards her, but she paid it no mind. The hanyou wouldn't suddenly change his tune, so she knew it was the youkai. He stayed quiet, likely watching her, and she wasn't going to break her concentration to ask what he wanted.

She had a pretty good idea of what he wanted. She wasn't sure she was ready to accept that for what it was just yet.

"Was there a storm?" she mumbled to herself, noticing that a branch had broken from one of the nearby trees and gotten blown into the tomato plant cage she was currently inspecting. Not thinking anything of it, she extracted the twig from the cage and tossed it to her left before moving down the line to the next plant.

When a stick fell before her on the dirt moments later, she did a double take. Again, she picked the stick up and tossed it to the left, resuming her inspection. The next time a stick fell before her, she narrowed her eyes at the offending item. It looked like the same stick she had _just_ thrown –

"Oi," a gruff voice called to her. "You want to explain why you keep throwing that away?"

Kagome looked up to see Youkai Inuyasha crouched down on the other side of the garden, watching her. She looked back down at the stick, then back up at him, and it finally clicked. "It…it's not supposed to be in the garden," she said carefully.

"Don't matter. 'S still a perfectly good stick."

She was not going to laugh. The youkai had such a serious look on his face as he looked at the stick in her hands, as if she were holding a prized sword and not proof that his canine instincts had kicked in on reflex. "I suppose," she said, "but it still doesn't need to be in the garden, Inuyasha. How are the tomatoes supposed to grow if they're being crushed by this?" Without thinking, she'd tossed the stick across the yard to get it out of her way, only for the youkai to kick up dust as he went after it.

This time when he dropped the stick in her lap she felt his presence _behind_ her.

He couldn't see her bite her lip from the cover of the hat as she carefully set the stick aside and tended to the last of the plants. Then she grabbed the stick as she stood, turning around to face him. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Depends," the youkai grinned. "What d'you intend on doing with that stick?"

This time Kagome couldn't hide her teasing grin as she raised her arm. Youkai Inuyasha visibly tensed, ready to go after it, when she let her arm down quickly. He'd turned, then looked back with narrowed eyes as she held up the stick she _hadn't_ thrown.

"That's not fair."

"Neither was you dropping it back in the middle of my work."

"I was bringing it back to you."

"You were putting it in my way –" the words died on her lips as his expression morphed into something she couldn't describe. It wasn't hurt, but it wasn't confusion either. His face had softened and her heart had melted, suddenly feeling guilty for teasing him. "Why don't we hang on to this?" she suggested instead.

The way the smile lit his face up was something else entirely. He took her offered hand without a word, grabbing the bucket of tools to return to the shed at her request. She led him back to the house and out of the heat with the silent promise of a cold treat for staying with her.

'_It's official. I am so screwed.'_ She thought. _'If all it takes is for him to make cute faces, what am I going to do?'_


	9. InuKag Week: Reunion

**For the curious, this one would fall sometime between chapters 7 and 8.**

* * *

Youkai Inuyasha yawned loudly as he sat on the shrine steps. His ear flicked irritably as he watched the large metal youkai whiz by on the road. The noise was obnoxious and the smells that came from them left a lot to be desired.

"You know you could go back to the house and wait."

"And why would I do that, Hanyou? I'm fine where I'm at."

Inuyasha scoffed. He couldn't stand the sounds of the cars or the smell of their fumes, so he knew his youkai side was having a time of it sitting still. He was more thankful that he didn't choose to chase after one of them and destroy it. Kagome would have both their hides. His. Both of his? He grunted, hating that he was split. They could be doing more productive things, like getting the last of those jewel shards. Instead, he was forced to deal with the repercussions of splitting _yet again_, because Kagome had gone off to school, leaving the three sides of him at home to wait.

The youkai had apparently been paying attention when Kagome taught him how to read a clock way back when, because as soon as the hour hand moved in place, he was going out the door. Kagome was supposedly on her way home. The human had left a half hour before, which didn't help in _not_ tipping the youkai off that something was going on, to wait for her at the school gates and walk her back. Inuyasha could have thrown on that bandana and went to get her himself, but he really didn't want to leave his two sides unattended in the Higurashi house.

Both were prone to shooting their mouth off, and he didn't want either of them to tell Kagome's family the _real_ reason for the split.

Inuyasha crossed his arms and dropped to sit on the stone steps a few away from where the youkai lounged. With the t-shirt and jeans he was wearing, the few visitors to the shrine would comment on his hair and ears, fascinated by the cos-play thing he was wearing. They believed him and his youkai side were playing a part for the appearance of the shrine, Mama had said the other day. Inuyasha had shrugged it off, telling her that so long as no one tried to grab his ears he didn't care. He stared at the back of the silver head and mumbled. "Just because we're in public doesn't mean you're getting away with anything."

"I ain't doing a damn thing –" the youkai started to say and paused. His ears flicked forward, and Inuyasha didn't have to ask what was up. The winds had shifted, carrying the scent of two humans towards them.

Kagome was coming home.

Youkai Inuyasha jumped to his feet as Human Inuyasha and Kagome came into view. Inuyasha saw the wide grin and knew trouble was about to happen. _'Fuck, don't say mate! Don't say it! Don't –'_

"Kagome!"

Inuyasha slumped against the steps in relief as his youkai side jumped the remaining steps to meet them halfway. _'Thank fuck he didn't say it.'_ He had to pick his battles, and this was slightly less embarrassing than if the inu youkai instincts had kicked in instead.

"Inuyasha," Kagome breathed, feeling her lips quirk up when the youkai leapt down the stairs. He was barefoot, and inside she winced at how that must have hurt on concrete, but he didn't appear to be affected. The smile that lit up his face made him look like almost boyish and not the lethal fighter that he could be.

Human Inuyasha visibly cringed as the youkai made the jump, but instead of being concerned for his wellbeing he was thinking more about the number of people that could have been passing by to see that stunt. "Have you lost your damn mind, Youkai?!" he hissed. "Shit like that is gonna blow our story –"

All of it fell on deaf fuzzy ears as the youkai scooped Kagome up in his arms, spinning her around. The squeal of laughter as he swung her about made any further comments pointless. Human Inuyasha had been told of the rough time she had had of it most of the day, trying to catch up to her peers. He'd felt guilty that she was becoming discouraged; after all, he was to blame for her falling behind on her studies. He didn't understand them, but they were important to her, so seeing her that upset hurt. He felt a pang of jealousy to the youkai with his ability to be so open and not care about the repercussions.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped for breath as she clung to the youkai's broad shoulders. "I'm getting dizzy!"

Youkai Inuyasha stopped spinning her around, but he continued to hold her tight to his chest. Her scent, her laugh, her smile… "I missed you," he said as he looked up at her.

Kagome must have seen the sincerity in his eyes, for her cheeks flushed at his words. "I missed you too," she replied. "All of you. It's good to be home."

"Yes," he purred. "And you are done with these teachings, yes? No need to go back again?"

"Well – wait a minute. I have to go back tomorrow –"

"No need. You are intelligent, beautiful –"

Her face became more red. "That's very sweet of you, Inuyasha but –"

"And your choice in mates is impeccable –"

From the steps Inuyasha made a choked sound before yelling "STOP SAYING THAT!"

Youkai Inuyasha turned slightly with Kagome and glared at Inuyasha. "Make me, Hanyou."

"You son of a –"

"You wouldn't harm Kagome," the youkai pointed out.

Inuyasha stood up and started coming down the steps. "So put her down, asshole. Cause I'm about to kick your ass."

Youkai Inuyasha looked contemplative for half a second before shifting his hold on Kagome, slipping one of his arms under her knees and supporting her back with the other. "You know what? I don't think I will, Hanyou." Flashing Inuyasha a wicked grin, he used his speed to his advantage as he flew up the staircase, Kagome letting out a tiny squeal of surprise.

"You asshole!" Inuyasha roared. "You're gonna have to let Kagome go sometime!"

Human Inuyasha sighed as he walked up to join the hanyou who was left seething at the foot of the staircase. "Was it wise to point out that you were going to kick his ass?"

"Doesn't matter. He would've sniffed it out even if I hadn't." Inuyasha grit his teeth. His youkai side had a hell of a lot of nerve to just take Kagome like that. "Fuck – we gotta catch him! There's no telling what he's gonna say or do –"

"Oh I'm pretty sure we both know what he'd _like_ to do – what the fuck!?" Human Inuyasha sputtered as the hanyou lifted him over his shoulder and took off running up the steps. The hanyou didn't offer a word of warning before he did it, and the human was left to bounce on his shoulder like a sack of rice going up a rocky hill.


	10. InuKag Week: Home

**This one actually would've taken place in chapter 14 if I'd have thought about it but then I wasn't expecting to do a full-out sequel and here we are. If you've started reading _Fever Dream_ you know what Inuyasha's thinking already.**

* * *

Inuyasha rubbed his face, still mortified that he'd blurted out that he wanted to start a family one day. The timing could've been better, but then again, it was his luck in life to admit things one had no business admitting after…what they had done. Kagome – how he got so lucky was beyond him – took it all in stride. She wanted to carry his pups. She'd said that, with a big smile on her face. That she wanted to wait a little longer didn't bother him. After all, it would give them time alone together. He felt her shift between him and the youkai. A comfortable silence had filled the room, at least until he really started to think about that future family.

"Fuck!" he said suddenly.

"We already did that Inuyasha," Kagome pointed out.

Youkai Inuyasha snorted. "Quite a few times. I know you're human right now Hanyou, but I doubt you could do that again just yet." He shifted, raising up on his arm. "Now on the other hand, you could also shove over and give me and our mate more room –"

"Shut the hell up," Inuyasha groaned. "That's not what I meant –"

"Thank god," Kagome let out a breathy laugh. "I really don't think I can do that again tonight."

"Do you see what you did? You did this. This is what you did to Kagome."

The youkai looked far too pleased with that shit-eating grin, Inuyasha noted. "I did nothing of the sort, Hanyou. You have just as much to blame for Kagome's state as I do. Although I do believe that she was hiding this side of herself from us for years –"

Kagome reached up and clapped a hand over the youkai's mouth, halting whatever he was going to say next. "What's wrong, Inuyasha?" she asked, "and say it quick I don't know how long I can get away with this."

Inuyasha glanced at his youkai side, tempted to tell her that he'd let her do whatever she pleased to him, but thought better of it. She'd find out in time that he was wrapped around her finger. "I uh… I was thinking about the pups we were talking about. And how…we need a home, right?" He swallowed, feeling nervous about even bringing this up. Was it rushing things? Probably not since he'd put his foot in it and asked about pups in the first place. Kagome, as well as the youkai, were watching him with curious expressions. "I… w-where… uh… where should we… build that home?"

She hummed lightly in response. "I thought it was obvious, Inuyasha. Weren't we going to settle in the village?"

Her answer nearly knocked the breath out of him. She wanted to live in the past? But her home was here. With all the bad smells from those car-things, all the loud noises, even the metal piping thing that he'd accidentally cut through in the kitchen that one time. During their first months he'd heard her complain about the dumbest things in the past that her time didn't have, and she was _willing_ to live there? "I – I thought that -?"

"That, what?" she smiled up at him, reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze. "You thought I'd want to remain in the present? I wouldn't do that to you, dummy. I know you don't like this time –"

"That's not true!"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, blushing slightly. "It's not _so_ bad. It's got you. Your family –"

"Which is also _your_ family now," Kagome pointed out. "And anyway, it'd be cramped to start a family here at the shrine."

"Not to mention the lack of privacy," Youkai Inuyasha added.

"That too," she laughed. Her little brother had rotten timing, and she could only imagine how bad that could be if he were to barge into her room when they were about to get naked. "And I wouldn't want to go too far from the well, so even if there were a house down the street it would be too far away. I wouldn't want to be away from the rest of our family either."

"But what about…what if the well..?" Inuyasha couldn't finish the thought. If the well were to close, she'd never be able to see her family in this time again. If they were on this side, they'd never see the others. Worse still, if they were separated – that particular thought made his stomach turn. "I don't want you to make a decision for my benefit, Kagome," he added. "It wouldn't be fair to you."

She seemed to pick up what he wasn't saying, whether it was in his expression or the link they now shared, he couldn't be sure. "You listen to me, Inuyasha, and listen well. I love you. You're my home, no matter where we're at. If something happened and we were cut off from this time, my family understands. They know that I've decided that the feudal era offers more than this time does for me. I'm going to graduate high school. We'll have a wedding for my family. We'll decide on where to build a hut and plan in the meantime." She paused, then added. "After we deal with Naraku, of course. No reason we can't discuss things at least."

He felt his lips curl into a smile. "How did I get so lucky?" he whispered. Inuyasha really had no idea. His entire life felt like an everlasting shit show, and then Kagome released him from Goshinboku.

Youkai Inuyasha reclined back on the bed, scooting down so he could rest his cheek against Kagome's bare shoulder. "That hut we've been using is no good."

Kagome reached up and softly rubbed his ear with her free hand. "Why do you say that? I mean besides the fact that Sango and Miroku were talking about taking it after all this is over with."

"Too close to the others," he sighed contentedly. His breath danced across her bare skin, raising goosebumps. "We couldn't be as loud as we've been."

"Really?" she asked, exasperated. "Of all the reasons –"

"I like hearing you scream my name," the youkai replied simply.

Kagome looked to Inuyasha, who was blushing and looking anywhere but at her. "He's not wrong…"

"Oh my god."

"Mate will suffice," Youkai Inuyasha grinned. "Oi! Don't stop, I was enjoying that!" He visibly pouted until her hand returned to the furry appendage.

"Do you see what you did?" Inuyasha directed at Kagome this time. "You spoiled us. You couldn't leave well enough alone and you spoiled us."

Her expression didn't look the least bit sorry. "Worth it," she grinned, giving his hand another squeeze. She had no regrets with any bit of spoiling she could do for Inuyasha. He may not have thought it, but he deserved it all and so much more.

As they fell back into silence, Inuyasha mulled over what Kagome had told him. He tuned out the soft tones she and the youkai shared; it was just random musings anyway. He was more focused on the hut they would need. How big would it need to be for their future family. Could he design it in a way that it could be expanded on later. How much of it could he do by himself, and when would he have to admit that he needed help. Miroku would readily help him, he had no doubt. The only decision he knew without hesitation would be _where_ their home would be located.

Inuyasha knew _exactly_ where their home would be built.


End file.
